[R] Problem using the source-function within R-functions

Duncan Murdoch murdoch at stats.uwo.ca
Wed Oct 21 16:17:56 CEST 2009


On 10/21/2009 3:53 AM, Johan Lassen wrote:
> Hi Giovanni,
> 
> Thanks for your reply. I can make the function work after parsing the code
> directly into R. The problem arise after compiling the function into a
> package and then calling the function, because the files inside "source()"
> seems to be missing.
> 
> I tried to include the sourced files in the argument "code_files" of
> the function "package.skeleton". The files are brought correctly to the
> package but when running the generated package then the files produce an
> error due to variables that are not defined.
> 
> There may be no way around other than copying the content of the sourced
> files into the file where the function is defined?
> - in this way the definition of the function is all written in one file, but
> the organization of the code-sections is worse than when using the
> source()-function...

R is not a macro language, and doesn't work well as one (though Thomas 
Lumley has written some code to make it act that way; see R-news 
http://www.r-project.org/doc/Rnews/Rnews_2001-3.pdf).

I don't know the details of what you are trying to do, but the best way 
to handle the generic sort of problem you are describing is to take 
those source'd files, and rewrite their content as functions to be 
called from your other functions.  Then their source can still be in 
separate files, with one line in each location where you need to call it.

The difficulty in doing this is that you need to think carefully about 
what arguments those functions should have, and that may need some 
reorganization.  (Macro languages let you refer to every local variable; 
called functions can only see what you pass them.)  However, in general 
this will make your code easier to read and maintain, so the extra work 
is a good investment.

Duncan Murdoch


> 
> Best regards,
> Johan
> 
> 
> 2009/10/20 Giovanni Petris <GPetris at uark.edu>
> 
>>
>> The problem probably lies in the source-ing part: look at
>>
>> getwd()
>> setwd()
>>
>> HTH,
>> Giovanni
>>
>> > Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:02 +0200
>> > From: Johan Lassen <jlenvi at gmail.com>
>> > Sender: r-help-bounces at r-project.org
>> > Precedence: list
>> > DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com;
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>> >
>> > --===============0554064772==
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>> > Content-length: 1477
>> >
>> > Dear R community,
>> >
>> > You may have the solution to how to construct a function using the
>> function
>> > "source()" to build the function; i.e.
>> >
>> > myfunction <- function(...){
>> > source('file1.r')
>> > source('file2.r')
>> > }
>> >
>> > After compiling and installing the "myfunction" in R, then calling the
>> > "myfunction" gives an error because the content of 'file1.r' and
>> 'file2.r'
>> > seems to be missing.
>> >
>> > Anyone has the trick to overcome this problem?
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance!
>> >
>> > best wishes, Johan
>> >
>> >
>> > PS: My function is:
>> >
>> >
>> > run_accumm_value <- function(ind_noder_0,
>> > ind_loc_val,ind_retention,downstream){
>> > ## Preprocessing of looping calculations:
>> > koersel_uden_ret <- length(unique(ind_noder_0$oplid))
>> > opsaml_b_0_2 <- numeric(koersel_uden_ret)
>> > opsaml_b_0_2_1 <- numeric(koersel_uden_ret)
>> > opsaml_b_0_2_2 <- seq(1:koersel_uden_ret)
>> > ## Preprocessing of topology and local values to be summed:
>> > source('preproces_topology.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('preproces_loc_val.r', local =3D T)
>> > # Loop for each grouping factor (column in ind_noder_0: "oplid"):
>> > for(j in 1:koersel_uden_ret){
>> > source('matrix_0.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('matrix.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('local_value.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('fordeling.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('fordeling_manuel.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('local_ret.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('Ax=3Db.r', local =3D T)
>> > source('opsamling_x_0_acc.r', local =3D T)
>> > }
>> > source('opsamling_b_1.r', local =3D T)
>> > opsaml_b_2
>> > }
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --=20
>> > Johan Lassen
>> > Environment Center Nyk=F8bing F
>> > Denmark
>> >
>> >       [[alternative HTML version deleted]]
>> >
>> >
>> > --===============0554064772==
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>> > ______________________________________________
>> > R-help at r-project.org mailing list
>> > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>> > PLEASE do read the posting guide
>> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html<http://www.r-project.org/posting-guide.html>
>> > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>> >
>> > --===============0554064772==--
>> >
>> >
>>
>> --
>>
>> Giovanni Petris  <GPetris at uark.edu>
>> Associate Professor
>> Department of Mathematical Sciences
>> University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, AR 72701
>> Ph: (479) 575-6324, 575-8630 (fax)
>> http://definetti.uark.edu/~gpetris/
>>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ______________________________________________
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> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.




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